The Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

Apostles Peter and Paul by El Greco
1592, oil on canvas

The Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul is a major celebration in the life of the Church; it's always been a feast that celebrates the unity of the Church symbolized by the two great Apostles, Peter as the Apostle to the Jews and Paul as the Apostle to the Gentiles.

Today's readings speak to us of the faith exemplified by the great Apostles Peter and Paul, as well as of the power and presence of God. The first reading from Acts is the story of Peter being freed from prison by the angel of the Lord, and it's one of my favorite stories in the book of Acts. Luke really wants to make it clear just how heavily guarded and securely bound Peter was, so he described it thusly: "Peter, secured by double chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while outside the door guards kept watch on the prison." But of course no amount of chains or guards are a match for the Lord's power.

Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him
and a light shone in the cell.
He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying,
"Get up quickly."
The chains fell from his wrists.

I love that line about the chains falling from his wrists. It's such a powerful image of how God works: freeing those who are bound, not just from chains but from everything that binds us, including sin and even death itself.

But what struck me the most in this reading this morning was a detail I had never paid much attention to before: the fact that the angel of the Lord has to tap Peter on the side to wake him. When we think of God at work, we inevitably imagine majesty and grandeur, something unmistakeable. This passage does hint at the glory that was present when it talks about the light shining in the cell when the angel of the Lord appeared. But that glorious presence is still not enough to wake Peter, for the angel has to rouse him with a tap and with words of instruction. And the glorious presence of the Lord's angel is not enough to rouse any of the guards or soldiers, either. Peter and the angel simply slip away:

They passed the first guard, then the second,
and came to the iron gate leading out to the city,
which opened for them by itself.

I think this tells us something vital about how God works, and the biggest lesson is that it's not always as we might expect it to be. The very real presence and activity of the Lord in our lives will not necessarily be enough to rouse us from our sleep, at least not without His help. Most of us grossly overestimate our own spiritual awareness much of the time. We shouldn't presume that we'll "just know" when the Lord is near. In reality, we spend much of our lives sleeping, unaware of the light that may be shining in our darkness and of the presence of the Lord coming to set us free from what binds us. This reading should remind us to always ask the Lord for His help, for that tap on the side when we need it, so that we might always recognize and trust in His presence and in His power to loosen our chains, whatever they may be.

Paul knew about the powerful presence of God and about the need to praise Him for His help and protection. This passage from today's second reading from Paul's second letter to Timothy strikes me as a model for us when it comes to trusting in God and waiting for His merciful help:

The Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.
And I was rescued from the lion's mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat
and will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom.
To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Through the intercession of Saints Peter and Paul, may the Lord grant us perseverence in prayer, trust in His mercy, and a lively hope in His loving providence in our lives. May God grant us the grace to always recognize the glory of His presence shining in our darkness.

Sancte Petre, ora pro nobis.
Sancte Paule, ora pro nobis.